Malaysians love their roadside "al-fresco" dining experience! But a visitor/tourist may get lost when ordering a simple drink like "Coffee" ... you'd get a sweet, milky concoction of local coffee & condensed milk! So, BUYER BEWARE!
Here's a list to help you order like a pro.. And if you frequent the same stall, they will remember your regular order. The next time just say "Biasa" (the usual!)
Kopitiam = coffee shop (in Chinese)
Mamak = roadside stall (run by Indians)
Skyjuice = plain water
Air suam = lukewarm plain water (Malay)
Kuan sui = lukewarm plain water (Chinese)
Ais kosong = plain iced water (Malay)
Kuan Sui Shiit = plain iced water (Chinese)
Kopi = coffee with condensed milk
Kopi-O = coffee with sugar, no milk
Kopi-O kosong = coffee, w/o sugar or milk
Kopi Kaw Kaw = thick coffee with condensed milk
Nescafe = instant coffee with condensed milk
Nescafe-O = instant coffee with sugar, no milk
Nescafe-O kosong = instant coffee w/o sugar or milk
Teh = tea with milk & sugar
Teh-O = tea with sugar, no milk
Teh-O kosong = tea w/o sugar or milk
Teh See = tea with evaporated milk
Teh Halia = Tea+condensed milk+fresh ginger juice
Teh-O Halia = Tea+sugar+fresh ginger juice, no milk
Milo = Chocolate malt drink & condensed milk
Milo-O = Chocolate malt drink & condensed milk
Cham = Tea+coffee, with sugar & milk
Neslo = Nescafe+Milo, with sugar & milk
Add the word 'kurang manis' for 'less sugar'
Add the word "kosong' for a drink with no added sugar, eg. freshly extracted wtermelon juice will always be accompanied by a few spoons of sugar (dissolved in a little water to form a syrup). I kept telling the waiters to add 'less sugar', sometimes even told them 'no sugar' but it always comes with sugar until I realised the lingo. So, I now order - watermelon kosong! Then they ask me, want ice or not?
Any more ??? Do let me know....
